Skiving apparatus with laterally floating support platform for producing multi-gauge metal strip of uniform width

ABSTRACT

Skiving apparatus for skiving the delicate thinner edge of a multi-gauge metal strip to produce uniform width of the thin gauge strip with a skiving tool and including a guide which embraces the outer and inner edge surfaces of the thick portion of the multi-gauge strip to maintain a fixed distance between a thick portion of the strip and the skiving tool and having a laterally floating support platform upon which the skiving tool and thick portion guide are mounted. The support platform is provided with antifriction travelling bearings which engage guideways extending laterally with respect to the path of movement of the multi-gauge strip. The support platform is therefore permitted to move freely laterally on the guideways as controlled by the outer and inner edge surfaces of a thick portion of the strip to accommodate any lateral undulations or snakiness due to edgewise curvature (also called &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;camber&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;) and reversals of camber of the multi-gauge strip thus avoiding variations in the width to which the delicate thin edge of the strip is being skived.

United States Patent [191 Laigle et al.

[4 1 Feb. 11, 1975 1 SKIVING APPARATUS WITII LATERALLY FLOATING SUPPORTPLATFORM FOR PRODUCING MULTI-GAUGE METAL STRIP OF UNIFORM WIDTH [75]Inventors: Roger E. Laigle, Torrington; Luis J. Lozano, Southington,both of Conn.

[73] Assignee: The Anaconda Company,

Anaconda, Mont.

22 Filed: Feb. 16, 1973 21 Appl. No; 333,046

[52] US. Cl. 90/24 F, 83/441, 83/428 [51] Int. Cl. B23d l/26 [58] Fieldof Search 91/24 F; 83/368, 433, 468,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 793.111 6/1905 Von Culin83/468 3,728,925 4/1973 Peters 83/428 X Primary ExaminerTravis S.McGehee Assistant E.\'aminerZ. R. Bilinsky Attorney, Agent, orFirmBryan, Parmelee, Johnson & Bollinger [57] ABSTRACT Skiving apparatusfor skiving the delicate thinner edge of a multi-gauge metal strip toproduce uniform width of the thin gauge strip with a skiving tool andincluding a guide which embraces the outer and inner edge surfaces ofthe thick portion of the multi-gauge strip to maintain a fixed distancebetween a thick portion of the strip and the skiving tool and having alaterally floating support platform upon which the skiving tool andthick portion guide are mounted. The support platform is provided withantifriction travelling bearings which engage guideways extendinglaterally with respect to the path of movement of the multi-gauge strip.The support platform is therefore permitted to move freely laterally onthe guideways as controlled by the outer and inner edge surfaces of athick portion of the strip to accommodate any lateral undulations orsnakiness due to edgewise curvature (also called camber) and reversalsof camber of the multi-gauge strip thus avoiding variations in the widthto which the delicate thin edge of the strip is being skived.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATEMEB FEB] 1 I975 SHEET 10E 3 Wil 1! v VN & ww

PATENIH] FEB] H975 sum; 30F 3 SKIVING APPARATUS WITH LATERALLY FLOATINGSUPPORT PLATFORM FOR PRODUCING MULTI-GAUGE METAL STRIP OF UNIFORM WIDTHBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a skivingapparatus for skiving the thin delicate edge portion of a multi-gaugemetal strip to uniform width. Such uniform multi-gauge strip may be usedto advantage for various commercial applications. Examples of commericalend uses for such strip include the making of electrical terminals, leadframes for integrated circuits, fuse links, and commutators for electricmotors. In each of these end uses it is critical to have a very uniformmulti-gauge strip to provide proper functioning of the electricalequipment. As an example of the critical requirements it is noted thatthe conducting surface of the commutator of an AC and DC type electricmotor,.which is engaged by the motors brushes, may be fabricated from amultigauge strip such as is produced by the present invention. In suchan application, the multi-gauge strip is wrapped around a supportingcylinder on the armature of the motor when it is properly slotted andelectrically connected to form the completed commutator. This techniqueof utilizing a multi-gauge strip enables such AC-DC type motors to bemass-produced at a relatively low cost while achieving a high quality.If the multigauge strip from which the commutator is made is not ofuniform width, the armature of the electric motor may be imbalanced. Ina precision built electric motor, such imbalance can create problems inoperation and short life expectancy.

It is among the advantages provided by the present invention thatmuIti-gauge metal strip can be produced rapidly and yet with a highdegree of precision and uniformity. In particular, the delicate thinedge portion of the multi-gauge strip is precisely skived to an accurateuniform width in spite of the fact the the strip may undulate back andforth in the edgewise direction as it moves through the skiving station.

Whenever there is a need to produce a multi-gauge metal strip with aprecise relationship between the thin edge and a thicker portion of thestrip located remotely from the thin edge, this invention can beemployed with resultant substantial advantages, such as, increasedprecision and increased speed of production.

In prior art devices that skiving tool is guided in whole or in part bythe edge itself which is being skived. In accordance with the presentinvention the laterally floating skiving tool for skiving the delicatethin edge of the multi-gauge strip is guided solely and entirely by athick portion of the strip which extends along the strip remote from thethin edge which is being skived.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I In the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention to be described hereinbelow in detail, the skiving apparatusfor accurately and uniformly skiving the delicate thin edge of amulti-gauge strip of copper base metal or alloy includes a skiving tooland a guide which embraces and engages opposite shoulder surfaces of athick portion of the multi-gauge strip so that the skiving tool isalways maintained at a fixed distance from a thick portion to produceprecision skiving of the delicate thin edge. The tool and the guide aremounted on a floating support platform which is provided with laterallytravelling antifriction bearing bushings. These laterally movablebearings permit the floating support platform to move freely in alateral direction as controlled by the opposite shoulder surfaces of athick portion of the strip to track any lateral undulations of thestrip, thus avoiding variations in the width to which the delicate thinedge is being skived.

The multi-gauge strip may not be longitudinally straight, that is it mayundulate in a lateral direction due to edgewise curvature and reversalsin such curvature. Since the support platform is permitted to float(move freely) back and forth on the lateral guideways, the apparatusaccommodates this lateral undulation without changing the distancebetween the skiving tool and the points at which a thick portion of thestrip is being engaged on its opposite shoulder surfaces by the guide.This thick portion guiding and the floating support action interact toprovide accurate and uniform skiving of the delicate thin strip edge. Inthis manner, the problem of gouging off excess material at the convexcurved regions of the thin edge resulting from lateral strip undulationsis overcome, and accurate, uniform width multi-gauge strip is producedat a high production rate.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide uniqueand novel method and apparatus for skiving the thin edge of multi-gaugestrip metal at a rapid production rate so that the strip produced hasaccuatem'ifararwiath throughout its'le'n'g'th.

Other objects, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will bepointed out in, or will become understood from the following detaileddescription, when considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings which are briefly described below and which show the presentlypreferred mode of putting this invention into practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofskiving apparatus with a laterally floating, i.e., freely movable,support platform for producing multi-gauge strip of uniform width andhaving a thin skived edge.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of this skiving apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of the thick portion embracingguide and the skiving tool taken through plane 3-3 in FIG. 2 lookingtoward the top, and being shown on somewhat larger scale than FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial end elevational view of this skiving apparatusshowing the pair of fixed lateral guideways and the antifrictiontraveling bearing bushings which ride on these guideways.

FIGS. 5 A and 5B show enlarged cross sections of two differentconfigurations of multi-gauge metal strip with which the presentinvention can be used to advantage.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding structuralelements and characteristics in each of the respective drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMOBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and4, the skiving apparatus 10, constructed in accordance with thepreferred embodiment of the present invention, is shown in normaloperating position with respect to the multi-gauge strip 11. Theapparatus 10 includesa skiving assembly 12 mounted on two fixedtransverse circular shafts or guideways l4 and 15. The skiving assembly12 commounted in each of the leg blocks 18. The axes of thealternatively may be produced by welding the edge of a" thin portion ofthe strip against an edge of a thicker portion. In order to employ theskiving apparatus of the present invention with the guide means forembracing a thick portion, the thick portion of the multi-gauge strip 11should be significantly thicker than the thin portion to define distinctengageable shoulder surfaces on opposite sides of the thick portion.

As shown in detail in FIG. 3, a thick portion embracing guide means 22and a skiving tool 24, are mounted on the top of the support platform16. The skiving tool 24 is secured in an accepting recess 26 held in alaterally adjustable tool block 28 by a clamp plate 30 (FIG. 2) and aclamp screw 32. This-tool block 28 is provided with an internalelongated adjusting slot 34 which accepts a locking bolt 36 tapped intothe support platform 16. When this locking bolt 36 is tightened, awasher 38 on the bolt 36 bears down against the tool block 28 to secureit in its adjusted position.

The guide means 22 includes a similar holding block 40 (FIG. 2) whichalso is provided with an internal elongated adjusting slot 42 to accepta locking bolt 44 tapped into the support base platform 16. When thebolt 44 is tightened, an identical washer 46 bears down against the topof the guide holding block 40 to secure it in its adjusted position.This block 40 is further provided with a depressed flat strip guide bed48 (FIG. 3) on which part of the multi-gauge strip 11 is supported. Thebalance of the width of the multi-gauge strip 11 rides on a supportplate 49 which is anchored to and spans across between the parallel wallmembers 64 and 65.

In order to guide the strip 11 there is a C-shaped strip retainer guide50 opposed to the guide bed 48, both of which are surfaced with a lowfriction substance. Two

screws 52 hold and position the strip retainer guide 50 against theguide bed 48. This guide 50 has a longitudinal, rectangular channelrecess 54 (FIG. 3) extending along its length defining first and secondspaced vertical parallel sidewalls 56, 58 dimensioned to slidably engageboth shoulder surfaces 57 and 59 (FIG. A), respectively, of a thickportion 60 of the multi-gauge strip 11 to be skived. The first sidewall56 of the C-shaped guide 50 engages one shoulder surface 57 of the thickstrip portion 60. In view of the fact that this thick portion 60 issignificantly thicker than the thin strip portion 90, there is an abruptupstanding step surface or shoulder 59 of the thick portion 60 which isengageable by the second sidewall 58 of the overhanging lip 62 of theC-shaped guide 50. The base 63 of the guide 50 is thicker, i.e., higher,than the height of the depending lip 62, thus providing sufficientrunning clearance between the bed surface 48 and the overhanging lip 62of the guide 50 to accomodate the thin portion 90 of the strip. Therunning clearance used with the guide 50 is of the order of 00005 of aninch.

' The strip retainer guide 50 may be interchanged with others of variousrecess dimensions to accomodate multi-gauge strips having thick portions60 with different dimensions and configurations. For example, FIG.

5B shows the cross section of another multi-gauge metal strip 11A ofdifferent configuration in which the thick portion 60 defines a pair ofupstanding shoulder surfaces 57 and 59 on its opposite sides.

The guide block 40 and the skiving tool holding block 28 are adjustablypositioned opposing one another in a deep channel defined by two spacedparallel wall members 64 and 65 welded or otherwise rigidly secured tothe top of the support platform base 16. A- pair of micrometer-typeadjusting screws 66 and 67' are mounted in end barriers 68 which spanthe distance between the wall members 64 and 65 at either side of thesupport platform 16. The end barriers 68 are firmly attached to the wallmembers by screws 70. An adjusting shaft 72 isassociated with eachofYhemicromete r-type adjusting screws, one of which works against theoutside of the guide block 40, the other of which works against theoutside of the tool holding block 28.

The skiving assembly 12 is also provided with a strip to hold downdevice 74 which includes a pair of mounting bolts 76, a T-shaped (FIG.2) arm support 78, and a variably positionable pressure pad 80. Themounting bolts 76, tapped into the top of the wall member 65,are spacedapart so as to avoid interference with the multigauge strip 11 beingskived. Each mounting bolt 76 is provided with a lower brace nut 82(FIGS. 1 and 3) and an upper lock nut 84 between which the T-bar supportarm 78 is secured. The pressure pad is mounted at the base of a heightpositioning screw 86 which is located in a correspondingly threaded bore88 at the end of the T-arm support 78. In this manner, the pressure padis positioned opposite the flat guide bed 48 of the strip guide 22 andexerts a pressure against the top of the thin portion 90 of themulti-gauge strip 11 as predetermined by the height positioning screw86. A lock nut 91 is provided on the height positioning screw 86 to holdthis pressure setting.

Input and output roller 92 and 93 (FIG. 2) mounted in end brackets 94and 95 are located on either end of the support platform 16 to supportthe multi-gauge strip 1 1 as it enters and leaves the skiving apparatus10.

The skiving apparatus, described above, is operated in the followingmanner. A strip retainer guide 50 is selected of dimensions suitable tomate with a thick portion 60 of the multi-gauge strip 11 to be skived insnug slidable embracing relation with the guide base 63 ini tially heldloosely against the flat guide bed 48 by the screws 52. The skiving tool24 is secured in the tool block 28 by the clamp plate 30 and clamp screw32. The width to which the multi-gauge strip is to be skived is then setby turning the micrometer-type adjusting screws 66 and 67 until theadjusting rods 72 position the guide block 40 and tool block 28 in theirdesired locations. Once this setting has been made, further movement ofthe housing blocks is prevented by tightening the lock bolts 36 and 44which clamp the blocks to the support platform 16.

Next, the multi-gauge strip 11 is started over the roller 92 and betweenthe guide bed 48 and the overhanging C-shaped guide 50 and is broughtout over the roller 93. The guide 50 is tightened down by the screws 52so that the opposite shoulder surfaces of a thick portion 60 of themulti-gauge strip are snuggly slidably embraced by the spaced verticalparallel sidewalls 56 and 58 of the channel 54 in the guide 50. The curlinhibitor T-arm 78 is now secured on its mounting bolts 76, tightlyfitted between the corresponding brace nuts 82 and lock nuts 84. Thepressure pad 80 is positioned opposite the guide bed 48 on top of thethin portion 90 of the multi-gauge strip. The bearing pressure of pad 80is set by the positioning screw 86 which is locked at that setting bythe lock nut 91. The multi-gauge strip is then fed through the skivingapparatus by a conventional strip feed mechanism (not shown). The strippasses over the input roller 92, between the guide bed 48 and retainerguide 50 and pressure pad 80, past the skiving tool 24 which then skivesthe thin portion 90 and out over the output roller 93. This skiving ofthe thin portion 90 may serve to fair or round the edge 91 (FIG. 5A or5B) or otherwise precisely shape this edge as may be desired for theintended commercial end use of the strip 11 or 11A.

The unique advantage of the present invention is that the strip width asset between the retainer guide sidewalls 56, S8 and the skiving tool 24does not vary with lateral undulations of the strip. Rather lateralstrip undulations cause the entire skiving assembly 12 to laterallyfloat on the guideways l4 and 15 as carried by the bearing bushings 20.Since the step surface of shoulder in the strip 11 which is engaged bythe guide wall surface 58 is produced by a rolling operation as shown inU.S. Pat. No. 3,488,989, the dimensions of this shoulder and theopposite shoulder engaged by guide surface 56 remain the same withoutsignificant variation along the length of the strip 11. Thus a precisesteering action is provided by embracing this thick portion of the stripwith a guide. Since the delicate thin edge 90 of the multi-gauge strip11 is not used as a guide for skiving tool 24, gouges of the material donot occur. Consequently, an accurate uniform strip width is obtainedwhile operating at any convenient feed rate within a wide possible rangeup to as much as 1,000 feet per minute or more and down to 16 feet perminute, as may be desired to coordinate with other operations along theprocessing line for the strip 11. Quality skiving has been accomplishedusing the present invention at speeds as low as 16 feet per minute onannealed copper, but in general higher speeds result in a better cut.Annealed copper is mentioned as an example because it is soft and moredifficult to skive than many harder alloys.

The skiving methods and apparatus of the present invention can be usedto advantage for skiving the thin edge of all ferrous and non-ferrousalloys and metals which are usually skived.

The tempers of the metal and alloys which can be skived by apparatus asdisclosed embodying this invention range from soft annealed copper toextra spring temper stainless steels.

The tolerances of the strip 11 going into the apparatus are the usualcommercial slitting or rolling tolerances according to ASTM standards.

The tolerances of the width of the thin edge skived portion 90 comingout of the apparatus 10 are regularly accurate to within plus or minus0.0005 of an inch.

. Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been disclosed indetail herein, it is to be understood that this is for purposes ofillustration. This disclosure of skiving apparatus for producingmulti-gauge strip of accurate uniform width should not be construed aslimiting the scope of the invention, since modifications may be made inthe described structure by those skilled in the art in order to adaptthe apparatus to particular multi-gauge strip skiving applications.

We claim:

1. Skiving apparatus for skiving to uniform width the thin edge portionof a multi-gauge metal strip having a thick portion significantlythicker than the thin edge portion such that the thick portion defines apair of shoulder surfaces on the strip facing in opposite directions,said skiving apparatus comprising:

a base;

a skiving tool mounted on the base for skiving the thin edge portion ofthe multi-gauge strip,

guide means mounted on the base including a lower guide positionedbeneath the thick portion of the strip, said guide means being locatedon said base with a predetermined spacing from said skiving tool,

said guide means including a retainer positioned above said thickportion of the strip and located over said lower guide, said retainerhaving a channel recess dimensioned to slidably engage upon the pair ofopposite shoulder surfaces of said thick portion of the strip with arunning clearance of the order of 0.0005 of an inch, said skiving toolbeing mounted laterally to one side of both said shoulder surfaces andlaterally floating support means for said base including fixedtransverse guideway means enabling said base to move laterally relativeto the direction of feed of said multi-gauge strip to track any lateralundulations of the strip without affecting the predetermined width ofthe skived thin portion of the metal strip as determined by thepredetermined spacing between said guide means and said skiving tool,

whereby the tolerance of the width of the skived thin edge portion ofthe strip is regularly accurate to within plus or minus 0.0005 of aninch.

2. Skiving apparatus for skiving to uniform width the thin edge portionof a multi-gauge metal strip having a portion significantly thicker todefine opposite shoulder surfaces on the thicker portion, said skivingapparatus comprising:

a base,

a skiving tool mounted on the base for skiving the thin edge of themulti-gauge strip,

first and second guide means mounted on said base for guiding theskiving tool in relation to the multigauge strip, said first guide meansbeing adapted to engage one shoulder surface of a thicker portion of thestrip, said second guide means being adapted to engage the othershoulder surface of the same thicker portion of the strip for guidingthis thicker portion through the apparatus, said first and second guidemeans being operatively secured on said base with predetermined lateralspacing therebetween for maintaining said thicker portion at apredetermined distance from said skiving tool, said skivin g tool beingmounted on said base to one side of and exteriorly of said lateralspacing and laterally floating support means for said base includingfixed transverse guideways enabling said base to move laterally relativeto the direction of feed of said multi-gauge strip to track any lateralundula tions of the strip without affecting the predetermined width ofthe thin edge portion of the skived metal strip as determined by thepredetermined spacing between said guide means and said skiving tool.

3. Skiving apparatus for skiving the thin edge portion of a multi-gaugemetal strip to uniform width comprising:

a base,

a skiving tool mounted on the base for skiving the thin edge of themulti-gauge strip,

guide means mounted on said base for guiding the skiving tool inrelationship to the multi-gauge strip, said guide means defining firstand second spaced parallel guide sidewalls, said first guide sidewallbeing adapted to engage a shoulder surface of a thick portion of thestrip, said second guide sidewall being adapted to engage anothershoulder surface of that thick portion of the strip for guiding thatthick portion of said multi-gauge strip through said apparatus,

said first and second guide sidewalls and said skiving tool beingoperatively secured on said base with predetermined lateral spacingtherebetween for maintaining said thick portion at a predetermineddistance from said skiving tool, said skiving tool being mounted on saidbase to one side of and exteriorly of said lateral spacing and laterallyfloating support means for said base including fixed transverse guidewaymeans enabling said base to move laterally relative to the direction offeed of said multi-gauge strip to track any lateral undulations of thestrip without affecting the predetermined width of the thin edge portionof the skived strip as determined by the predetermined spacing betweensaid guide means and skiving tool.

4. The multi-gauge strip skiving apparatus as claimed in claim .3,wherein said guide means comprises:

a flat guide bed for supporting said multi-gauge strip in slidingrelation,

a C-shaped retainer guide having a channel recess therein for acceptinga thick portion of said multigauge strip to prevent lateral motion ofsaid strip in relation to said skiving tool, and

mounting means for slidably positioning said multigauge strip betweensaid guide bed and said retainer guide with said thick portion of saidmultigauge strip slidably accepted within said channel recess. i

5. The multi-gauge strip skiving apparatus as claimed in claim 4 inwhich a pressure pad engages the thin portion of the strip between thesaid skiving tool and said guide means and adjustable pressuremeans'pushes said pad against said thin portion.

6. The multi-gauge strip skiving apparatus as claimed in claim 3,wherein said laterally floating support means includes a plurality offixed guideways extending transversely of the direction of feed of saidstrip and wherein said base is supported on said guideways by travellingantifriction bearings to permit free lateral movement of said base.

7. The multi-gauge strip skiving apparatus as claimed in claim 6,wherein said fixed guideways are circular shafts and said antifrictionbearings are antifriction bearing bushings disposed in encompassingrelation about said circular shafts.

8. The skiving apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said skivingtool is mounted on a housing block and said first and second guide meansare mounted on a sliding housing block, and wherein said floatingsupport platform has parallel positioning walls, said blocks beingaligned in opposing relation of said floating supporting platformbetween said parallel positioning walls.

9. The skiving apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein micrometer-typeadjusting screws are provided, each mounted between said positioningwalls of a fixed member and each connected to one of said slidablehousing blocks for selectively varying the lateral position of saidsliding housing blocks.

10. The skiving apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein curlinginhibiting means are provided comprismg:

a flat guide bed for supporting said multi-gauge metal strip as it isfed through said skiving apparatus,

a bearing pad,

a positioning arm for holding said bearing pad in opposing relation tosaid flat guide bed to slidably clamp the thin portion of saidmulti-gauge metal strip between said bearing member and said flat guidebed to inhibit curling of said thin portion.

1. Skiving apparatus for skiving to uniform width the thin edge portionof a multi-gauge metal strip having a thick portion significantlythicker than the thin edge portion such that the thick portion defines apair of shoulder surfaces on the strip facing in opposite directions,said skiving apparatus comprising: a base; a skiving tool mounted on thebase for skiving the thin edge portion of the multi-gauge strip, guidemeans mounted on the base including a lower guide positioned beneath thethick portion of the strip, said guide means being located on said basewith a predetermined spacing from said skiving tool, said guide meansincluding a retainer positioned Above said thick portion of the stripand located over said lower guide, said retainer having a channel recessdimensioned to slidably engage upon the pair of opposite shouldersurfaces of said thick portion of the strip with a running clearance ofthe order of 0.0005 of an inch, said skiving tool being mountedlaterally to one side of both said shoulder surfaces and laterallyfloating support means for said base including fixed transverse guidewaymeans enabling said base to move laterally relative to the direction offeed of said multi-gauge strip to track any lateral undulations of thestrip without affecting the predetermined width of the skived thinportion of the metal strip as determined by the predetermined spacingbetween said guide means and said skiving tool, whereby the tolerance ofthe width of the skived thin edge portion of the strip is regularlyaccurate to within plus or minus 0.0005 of an inch.
 2. Skiving apparatusfor skiving to uniform width the thin edge portion of a multi-gaugemetal strip having a portion significantly thicker to define oppositeshoulder surfaces on the thicker portion, said skiving apparatuscomprising: a base, a skiving tool mounted on the base for skiving thethin edge of the multi-gauge strip, first and second guide means mountedon said base for guiding the skiving tool in relation to the multi-gaugestrip, said first guide means being adapted to engage one shouldersurface of a thicker portion of the strip, said second guide means beingadapted to engage the other shoulder surface of the same thicker portionof the strip for guiding this thicker portion through the apparatus,said first and second guide means being operatively secured on said basewith predetermined lateral spacing therebetween for maintaining saidthicker portion at a predetermined distance from said skiving tool, saidskiving tool being mounted on said base to one side of and exteriorly ofsaid lateral spacing and laterally floating support means for said baseincluding fixed transverse guideways enabling said base to movelaterally relative to the direction of feed of said multi-gauge strip totrack any lateral undulations of the strip without affecting thepredetermined width of the thin edge portion of the skived metal stripas determined by the predetermined spacing between said guide means andsaid skiving tool.
 3. Skiving apparatus for skiving the thin edgeportion of a multi-gauge metal strip to uniform width comprising: abase, a skiving tool mounted on the base for skiving the thin edge ofthe multi-gauge strip, guide means mounted on said base for guiding theskiving tool in relationship to the multi-gauge strip, said guide meansdefining first and second spaced parallel guide sidewalls, said firstguide sidewall being adapted to engage a shoulder surface of a thickportion of the strip, said second guide sidewall being adapted to engageanother shoulder surface of that thick portion of the strip for guidingthat thick portion of said multi-gauge strip through said apparatus,said first and second guide sidewalls and said skiving tool beingoperatively secured on said base with predetermined lateral spacingtherebetween for maintaining said thick portion at a predetermineddistance from said skiving tool, said skiving tool being mounted on saidbase to one side of and exteriorly of said lateral spacing and laterallyfloating support means for said base including fixed transverse guidewaymeans enabling said base to move laterally relative to the direction offeed of said multi-gauge strip to track any lateral undulations of thestrip without affecting the predetermined width of the thin edge portionof the skived strip as determined by the predetermined spacing betweensaid guide means and skiving tool.
 4. The multi-gauge strip skivingapparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said guide means comprises: aflat guide bed for supporting said multi-gauge strip in slidingrelAtion, a C-shaped retainer guide having a channel recess therein foraccepting a thick portion of said multi-gauge strip to prevent lateralmotion of said strip in relation to said skiving tool, and mountingmeans for slidably positioning said multi-gauge strip between said guidebed and said retainer guide with said thick portion of said multi-gaugestrip slidably accepted within said channel recess.
 5. The multi-gaugestrip skiving apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which a pressure padengages the thin portion of the strip between the said skiving tool andsaid guide means and adjustable pressure means pushes said pad againstsaid thin portion.
 6. The multi-gauge strip skiving apparatus as claimedin claim 3, wherein said laterally floating support means includes aplurality of fixed guideways extending transversely of the direction offeed of said strip and wherein said base is supported on said guidewaysby travelling antifriction bearings to permit free lateral movement ofsaid base.
 7. The multi-gauge strip skiving apparatus as claimed inclaim 6, wherein said fixed guideways are circular shafts and saidantifriction bearings are antifriction bearing bushings disposed inencompassing relation about said circular shafts.
 8. The skivingapparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said skiving tool is mounted ona housing block and said first and second guide means are mounted on asliding housing block, and wherein said floating support platform hasparallel positioning walls, said blocks being aligned in opposingrelation of said floating supporting platform between said parallelpositioning walls.
 9. The skiving apparatus as claimed in claim 8,wherein micrometer-type adjusting screws are provided, each mountedbetween said positioning walls of a fixed member and each connected toone of said slidable housing blocks for selectively varying the lateralposition of said sliding housing blocks.
 10. The skiving apparatus asclaimed in claim 2, wherein curling inhibiting means are providedcomprising: a flat guide bed for supporting said multi-gauge metal stripas it is fed through said skiving apparatus, a bearing pad, apositioning arm for holding said bearing pad in opposing relation tosaid flat guide bed to slidably clamp the thin portion of saidmulti-gauge metal strip between said bearing member and said flat guidebed to inhibit curling of said thin portion.